TV Antanna signal

[skozzy]

Can I tell with a multi meter if the connection from my antanna on the roof
and the socket on the wall is in good shape ?

If so what do I look for ?

And can I test the same way for different sockets throughout the house.

I have my roof antanna going to a 4 way splitter under the house, then from
there is go to the bedrooms. One room has poor signal the rest are ok but
not perfect.

I want to get a digital set top box soon and would like to checkout my
antanna setup before hand.

 

[Rod Speed]

skozzy <no.email@all.com> wrote in message
news:406f78d1$0$14771$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

Can I tell with a multi meter if the connection from my antanna
on the roof and the socket on the wall is in good shape ?

Not really. You can certainly check that its got electrical
continuity with both the inner and the outer, but the cable
can get buggered up in more subtle ways, particularly
water getting into it and absorbing the low level RF signal.

I had one that was VERY channel specific
as far as the problem was concerned.

If so what do I look for ?

If you still want to check the electrical continuity, just measure
the resistance between the inner and outer at any socket
with the antenna not connected. That should give open circuit.

Connect the antenna again and you will normally get a low
resistance if its got a folded dipole at the antenna end.

Gets more complicated with baluns etc
but the same general approach applys.

Gets more complicated with amps.

And can I test the same way for different sockets throughout the house.

Yes, at that low level.

I have my roof antanna going to a 4 way splitter under
the house, then from there is go to the bedrooms. One
room has poor signal the rest are ok but not perfect.

I want to get a digital set top box soon and would
like to checkout my antanna setup before hand.

Its simplest to just try it with the STB and fix it if theres a problem.

There isnt any easy way to test it properly with just a multimeter.

 

[skozzy]

Thanks for that. I am thinking or replacing the cable after seeing the
condition of the outside exposed sections. it looks very old.


"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c4nup9$2koa5c$1@ID-69072.news.uni-berlin.de...

skozzy <no.email@all.com> wrote in message
news:406f78d1$0$14771$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

Can I tell with a multi meter if the connection from my antanna
on the roof and the socket on the wall is in good shape ?

Not really. You can certainly check that its got electrical
continuity with both the inner and the outer, but the cable
can get buggered up in more subtle ways, particularly
water getting into it and absorbing the low level RF signal.

I had one that was VERY channel specific
as far as the problem was concerned.

If so what do I look for ?

If you still want to check the electrical continuity, just measure
the resistance between the inner and outer at any socket
with the antenna not connected. That should give open circuit.

Connect the antenna again and you will normally get a low
resistance if its got a folded dipole at the antenna end.

Gets more complicated with baluns etc
but the same general approach applys.

Gets more complicated with amps.

And can I test the same way for different sockets throughout the house.

Yes, at that low level.

I have my roof antanna going to a 4 way splitter under
the house, then from there is go to the bedrooms. One
room has poor signal the rest are ok but not perfect.

I want to get a digital set top box soon and would
like to checkout my antanna setup before hand.

Its simplest to just try it with the STB and fix it if theres a problem.

There isnt any easy way to test it properly with just a multimeter.

 

[Rod Speed]

skozzy <no.email@all.com> wrote in message
news:406fd566$0$4548$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

Thanks for that. I am thinking or replacing the cable after seeing
the condition of the outside exposed sections. it looks very old.

Yeah, thats often the problem.

I had installed mine myself and had left plenty of
spare in the roofspace because I assumed that the
outside exposed bit wouldnt last forever. I just pulled
it out thru the grommet and cut off the old exposed
bit and reterminated the new end and it was fine.

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c4nup9$2koa5c$1@ID-69072.news.uni-berlin.de...

skozzy <no.email@all.com> wrote in message
news:406f78d1$0$14771$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

Can I tell with a multi meter if the connection from my antanna
on the roof and the socket on the wall is in good shape ?

Not really. You can certainly check that its got electrical
continuity with both the inner and the outer, but the cable
can get buggered up in more subtle ways, particularly
water getting into it and absorbing the low level RF signal.

I had one that was VERY channel specific
as far as the problem was concerned.

If so what do I look for ?

If you still want to check the electrical continuity, just measure
the resistance between the inner and outer at any socket
with the antenna not connected. That should give open circuit.

Connect the antenna again and you will normally get a low
resistance if its got a folded dipole at the antenna end.

Gets more complicated with baluns etc
but the same general approach applys.

Gets more complicated with amps.

And can I test the same way for different sockets throughout the house.

Yes, at that low level.

I have my roof antanna going to a 4 way splitter under
the house, then from there is go to the bedrooms. One
room has poor signal the rest are ok but not perfect.

I want to get a digital set top box soon and would
like to checkout my antanna setup before hand.

Its simplest to just try it with the STB and fix it if theres a problem.

There isnt any easy way to test it properly with just a multimeter.

 

[skozzy]

Hey thats a great idea. Glad I thought of it. I will do that myself
when replacing it.

I had installed mine myself and had left plenty of
spare in the roofspace because I assumed that the
outside exposed bit wouldnt last forever. I just pulled
it out thru the grommet and cut off the old exposed
bit and reterminated the new end and it was fine.